TAPIRS. 315 



gallop is peculiar. The fore-legs are ttrown far in advance, and 

 the head is carried between them in a very awkward manner, 

 somewhat after the fashion of a frolicsome donkey." 



Tapirs are far too timid to ever provoke an attack, in fact they 

 are almost defenceless, for although they have such great strength, 

 and their jaws are well furnished with teeth formidable enough to 

 do serious injury to any foe they might seize, yet they rarely use 

 them, but when molested or injured in any way utter a shrill, 

 hissing cry, which is a sound that by no means corresponds with 

 their size. When hard pressed they sometimes defend themselves 

 by kicking violently, and occasionally will seize hold of dogs by 

 the loins, and shaking them violently tear off the skin. 



The greatest enemy they have, next to the hunter, is the jaguar, 

 but with this animal they seem able to cope, for the claws of the 

 formidable cat cannot make very powerful impressions on the 

 thick hide, and the tapir has a habit, when it is pounced upon, of 

 at once rushing through narrow and intricate places or of plunging 

 into the thickest part of the woods, if there are any adjacent, 

 until owing to the perpetual bruising and constant succession of 

 blows inflicted by the tree limbs, their foe is forced to quit its hold. 



Mr. Bennett says, " It is frequently hunted for its flesh, which, 

 although coarse, dry, and unsavoury to a European palate, is 

 regarded as a great luxury by the native Indians and negroes. Its 

 skin is also highly valued on account of its great thickness and 

 strength. The lasso is seldom employed to take it ; for it snaps 

 asunder at a single effort a cord strong enough to interrupt a bull 

 in the height of his headlong course. The most common mode 

 of catching them is to attract them by an imitation of their voice, 

 consisting in a short but not very shrill whistle, and thus to bring 

 them so close to the huntsman that his shot rarely fails of its 

 effect. The Indians use poisoned arrows for the same purpose. 

 Another plan, which is frequently pursued, is for the hunters to 

 station themselves towards evening with their dogs by the side of 

 the tapir's path, to intercept him in his passage to the water, of 

 which, like most animals of his tribe, he is particularly fond, 

 constantly indulging in a bath as soon as he rouses himself for 

 the business of the night, and wallowing at all times in the water 



